Photographers unable to pronounce names of camera companies.

A recent survey by the Society of Camera Manufacturers has revealed that most consumers are unable to pronounce the names of many Japanese camera companies.

Brian B O'Brian, a photographic enthusiast, said "I just feel more comfortable referring to Panasonic as 'Panny'. It's like being in a special club. Also when I was a kid we used to have a dog called Runnymede but we always called him Runny because of his bowel problems, and I suppose that might have something to do with it."

At Middleton Stoney Camera Club member Ron Bore proudly showed off his new Oly. "I used to call Olympus cameras Olympus, but when I finally got one it seemed the right time to be a little less formal." he said. "Besides Olympus sounds a bit Greek to me now."

Social researcher Bud Light is keen to explain how owning the iPad Air had influenced this trend. "By typing Siggy, as opposed to Sigma, iPad owners don't actually save any time at all but they feel they do - and that's important when you have an iPad Air."

However the dominant camera brands, Canon and Nikon do not seem to suffer shortening in quite the same way. Instead they are often referred to jointly as Canikon. "Oh yeah, I do that too now" said a Canon owner. "I used to diss Nikon owners because frankly it's fun, but recently I've been thinking of getting a D800, not only for the resolution but for the DR, which is essential for my photos of ducks in the park, and so since I'll be a dual user I think using the description Canikon indicates I'm pretty knowledgeable about both brands .................."

A spokesman from Samsung refused to speculate on why photographers don't seem to refer to them as Sammy but added "You do know we're not Japanese don't you?"

For me, if I use a phone or tablet device, there is no real keyboard. So abbreviations are necessary. If I have to type Canon and Nikon or canikon. I save 8 keystrokes and 2 shift button hits. I gain back seconds of my life. Like reading and replying to this dumb post. I have lost minutes of my life I will never get back.

meland wrote:

A recent survey by the Society of Camera Manufacturers has revealed that most consumers are unable to pronounce the names of many Japanese camera companies.

Brian B O'Brian, a photographic enthusiast, said "I just feel more comfortable referring to Panasonic as 'Panny'. It's like being in a special club. Also when I was a kid we used to have a dog called Runnymede but we always called him Runny because of his bowel problems, and I suppose that might have something to do with it."

At Middleton Stoney Camera Club member Ron Bore proudly showed off his new Oly. "I used to call Olympus cameras Olympus, but when I finally got one it seemed the right time to be a little less formal." he said. "Besides Olympus sounds a bit Greek to me now."

Social researcher Bud Light is keen to explain how owning the iPad Air had influenced this trend. "By typing Siggy, as opposed to Sigma, iPad owners don't actually save any time at all but they feel they do - and that's important when you have an iPad Air."

However the dominant camera brands, Canon and Nikon do not seem to suffer shortening in quite the same way. Instead they are often referred to jointly as Canikon. "Oh yeah, I do that too now" said a Canon owner. "I used to diss Nikon owners because frankly it's fun, but recently I've been thinking of getting a D800, not only for the resolution but for the DR, which is essential for my photos of ducks in the park, and so since I'll be a dual user I think using the description Canikon indicates I'm pretty knowledgeable about both brands .................."

A spokesman from Samsung refused to speculate on why photographers don't seem to refer to them as Sammy but added "You do know we're not Japanese don't you?"

Social researcher Bud Light is keen to explain how owning the iPad Air had influenced this trend. "By typing Siggy, as opposed to Sigma, iPad owners don't actually save any time at all but they feel they do - and that's important when you have an iPad Air."

I've never seen Siggy before. Oly and Panny, sure. No camera company needs more than two syllables. It works for Nikon. It works for Canon. it works for Leica. Sony not only has only two syllables, but 4 letters, and that may be partly responsible for its recent successes with the RX line. Samsung has two syllables, but 7 letters, so that might be getting in the way of success (though it manages to sell plenty of phones and TVs). Two syllables certainly works for Apple. And then there's that upstart video company: Red. I'm not sure how only one syllable will work out. Sony recently dropped the NEX name from its mirrorless cameras, preferring to call them Alpha, like its almost-DSLRs. They must know something.

The days of the many syllable camera companies are over. Mamiya, Hasselblad. Who was the first DSLR maker to bit the dust ? Ko*ni*ca Mi*nol*ta ... good grief !!! Never had a chance.

Ricoh may have a confusing lineup with Pentax in the fold, but it apparently learned from Konica Minolta and isn't branding anything Ri*coh Pen*tax.

Ford is Ford, but Chev*ro*let is Chevy. Type chevy.com in your browswer and you get to Chevrolet's home page. Dodge, Chrysler, Audi, Volvo, Porsche. Oldsmobile was Olds, and now they're gone. Pon*ti*ac has to be next. Cadillac is Caddy; they're struggling to appeal to young buyers (hint: TWO SYLLABLES !!!) Nissan, Honda, Hyundai (Hun*dai), Kia ... Toyota gets away with three somehow.

Google "two syllable company names" and you get plenty of hits on pages offering advice for coming up with company names. They provide examples like Google, Twitter, Facebook, Nike, Dreamworks, Pixar, eBay, Paypal.

So, my advice to Panasonic and Olympus is to change their company names. Go for two syllables. And maybe rebrand mi*cro*four*thirds while you're at it.

This has been raised many times over the years I've been here, like Neekon vs Nighkon. But this isn't limited to camera brands, also car brands like Porsche, Porcha, Porch.

What's the difference between a Porsche (poor sha) and a porcupine?

Just the way it is.

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"Transport is a subtly political business. Left-wingers like trains(central planning, low fuel consumption, largely egalitarian seating).Right-wingers like cars (freedom, independence, individualism). Onlythe bicycle crosses the political divide: it embodies both libertyand equality." This is the first paragraph from a short article titled"The Bicycle is Best" by Emma Duncan

Has something to do with where it carriers it's STICKERS me thinks..........

In a Porsche, the prick is on the inside.

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"Transport is a subtly political business. Left-wingers like trains(central planning, low fuel consumption, largely egalitarian seating).Right-wingers like cars (freedom, independence, individualism). Onlythe bicycle crosses the political divide: it embodies both libertyand equality." This is the first paragraph from a short article titled"The Bicycle is Best" by Emma Duncan

In Japanese, it's pronounced Orinpisu (if you pronounce it Olinpisu it sounds feminine)

Samsung is pronounced almost like "some song" in Korean

I think Canon ("cannon") fits English better than Jianeng or Kyanon

It depends on the language you're speaking

Actually the point I was trying to make was not so much about pronunciation, or the language spoken, so in that I fully accept that the title of the OP wasn't the greatest, but the curious tendency some have to shorten photographic company names and end them with a Y, e.g. Tammy, Panny, Siggy, Oly, etc.

In Japanese, it's pronounced Orinpisu (if you pronounce it Olinpisu it sounds feminine)

Samsung is pronounced almost like "some song" in Korean

I think Canon ("cannon") fits English better than Jianeng or Kyanon

It depends on the language you're speaking

Actually the point I was trying to make was not so much about pronunciation, or the language spoken, so in that I fully accept that the title of the OP wasn't the greatest, but the curious tendency some have to shorten photographic company names and end them with a Y, e.g. Tammy, Panny, Siggy, Oly, etc.

Anyone care to explain why they do that?

Surely, they are terms of affection are they not?

They are on a par with referring to a photographer as a "tog", equally naff, in my view..

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